Battery maker Energizer fined for false advertising

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Wednesday it will fine Energizer Holdings, the Taiwanese arm of the American manufacturer of dry cell batteries and personal care products, NT$200,000 (US$6,671) for making false and misleading advertising statements about a lucky draw it organized.

The FTC issued the statement in response to consumer complaints that the company claimed earlier this year that consumers who bought batteries, battery chargers or flashlights from battery brands Eveready and Energizer — both of which are owned by Energizer Holdings — and submitted their uniform invoice numbers on the official Website of the lucky draw event would have the chance of winning trips to Singapore and Malaysia.

The company said that invoices had to be issued between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28 this year and that the invoice numbers had to be submitted by March 7. The list of winners of the draw were supposed to have been published March 14, according to the FTC.